Localized optimized orbitals, coupled cluster theory, and chiroptical response properties

Abstract

The impact of orbital localization on the efficiency and accuracy of the optimized-orbital coupled cluster model is examined for the prediction of chiroptical properties, in particular optical rotation. The specific rotations of several test cases—(P)-[4]triangulane, (S)-1-phenylethanol, and chiral conformers of 1-fluoropentane, heptane, and nonane—were computed using an approach in which localization is enforced throughout the orbital optimization and subsequent linear response computation. This method provides a robust local-correlation scheme for future production-level implementation. Although the cross-over point between the canonical and localized coupled cluster approach lies at larger molecules than for ground-state energies, the scheme presented should still provide reduced scaling sufficient to investigate much larger molecules than are presently accessible.